Psycho Killer
by eclarerocks
Summary: Party at Jake's cabin! But there's someone that showed up who wasn't invited... Eclare, small Badam, miniscule Krew. One-shot.


"Jake? Alli…"

"Clare!" Alli yelped, breaking off of Jake's mouth. To say that they were surprised to see Clare there catching them making out was an understatement.

"Well, I can see that The Girl Code isn't something that _you've_ ever heard of," Clare scoffed. "You know, I expected this from Jenna, but from you? Alli…" she trailed off, shaking her head.

"Oh Clarebear! I'm so sorry!" Alli cried, jumping up from the log she was sitting on to try and give Clare a hug, but was disappointed when Clare backed away from her. "Come on, Clare. We've been friends too long for us to just throw it away over some _boy!_ Be reasonable, here!"

"No. Now you're telling me I'm being un_reasonable_? Alli, you've hardly been a friend to me these past months. I've been going through so much, but at the same time you're caught up gambling, and going out with Dave, and we talked on the phone, but… we both know why we're still friends. It's because we're both too afraid that no one else would take us. Well, I don't care about that anymore, so I'll just leave you. Come on, Bee," Clare said as she turned around, empowered by her speech.

"Oh, and by the way," she added, turning back around. "You know I _hate_ being called Clarebear."

Clare and Bianca stormed away from those two, and when they were out of sight, Bianca proudly ruffled Clare's hair. "Way to go, Edwards! Never thought you'd have it in you."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," Clare shrugged. "I just didn't expect it to be about a _guy_. But it had to happen."

"Oh yeah… What about Jake?" Bianca asked.

"I'll go back home, he'll be there, and it'll be sufficiently more awkward than it already was. I'm over him."

"So Adam was right? He _was_ a rebound…" Bianca said, and Clare gave her a look that confirmed what she had said.

"Basically…" Clare hesitantly agreed. "I mean, I liked him, but I didn't…"

"Love him," Bianca finished for her. "Yeah, I get that. But if you don't love Jake then do you-"

"I don't want to talk about him right now," Clare said, waving off Bianca's unasked question. "We're walking at night in very creepy and disturbing woods, and I am more worried about getting lost right now than who or what my ex is doing."

Bianca nodded her head in understanding and both of them walked silently until they reached the cabin. It belonged to Jake and Glen, and when Jake decided that he needed to throw a party, Clare was hesitant. But then she realized that if a party was thrown then her and Jake would have to interact less while up at the cabin, and she welcomed that with open arms. However, people had been going off and leaving the cabin, and as it was getting later, Clare was getting more and more nervous for the people who hadn't come back. It had been around two-and-a-half hours since anyone had seen K.C., Imogen, or Adam. They had all left at different times, but when they did leave, they practically disappeared.

After walking in the moon-illuminated woods for 10 more minutes, Clare and Bianca finally made their way back to the cabin. They simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief and went inside.

Inside the warm cabin, everyone seemed to be almost unaffected by the absence of their peers. Marisol and Fiona were talking about fashion in one corner, and a few other people Clare didn't recognize were dancing. Katie was sitting on Drew's lap while the two swapped spit, and when Clare noticed the dismayed look on Bianca's face, she put her hand on Bianca's arm and gave her a reassuring smile.

"He's an ass, anyway," Clare said to her, trying to make her new friend feel better, and Bianca nodded and reverted her attention elsewhere.

"I'll see you in a minute, I gotta make a pit stop," Bianca told her, heading to the bathroom.

Clare was standing by herself, silently worrying about Adam, when she noticed Eli barging in from the hall. "Where the hell could Adam be?" he asked to no one in particular, obviously troubled by the fact that Adam was missing.

Clare shook her head. "I wish I knew. I'm getting really worried that so many people just took off. It's not easy to find your way back. Especially at night."

"Yeah, and I wish Drew would pay more attention to his _missing brother _than his girlfriend. I mean it's not like he was _shot_ in the shoulder a month ago or anything," Eli pointed out.

"Haven't you heard of the Guy Code? Hos before bros? Obviously not," Clare laughed, but stopped when she remembered how Alli had broken a code similar to the one she just recited.

Eli laughed at her joke, but then noticed her change in demeanor. "What's wrong?" he asked.

But before Clare could answer, Adam burst into the cabin, panting very hard. He had scratches all over his face, and a couple of leaves were scattered in his hair.

"Adam!" Eli cried, rushing over to his friend. "What the fuck happened?"

Tears were threatening to escape Adam's eyes as they darted nervously around the room, obviously searching for someone. "I… saw. I-I saw—" he started, but he couldn't finish because he started sobbing.

By then everyone had taken notice of Adam, and had gathered around him. Eli and Clare had to make a path and they guided the still-crying Adam over to the couch. He was shaking and no one pushed him to say anything, Clare just kept one hand on Adam's back while Eli sat next to him, rubbing his shoulder.

After Adam had calmed down, his bloodshot eyes found Clare's. "I was walking back here, and I had gotten lost," he started to explain slowly. "I walked past a fire pit and saw… A-Alli. She was on the ground. And c-c-covered in blood," he said, starting to cry again. "She was…"

"Dead," Clare finished, tears brimming her eyes. She blinked hard, and a stray tear trailed its way down her cheek.

"Was there anyone else there?" Eli asked, worry starting to overtake him. He was better and had been taking his pills, but there's no amount of medication that could've prepared anyone for a shock this big.

"N-no. Just Alli."

"What about Jake?" Bianca questioned. She was out of the bathroom and had been observing the situation from a distance. She, like everyone else, was trying hard to keep her cool, but paranoia was starting to set into her bones and she couldn't help a shiver from raging down her spine. "He was there sucking face with Alli when we saw him."

Eli looked over at Clare questioningly. She took notice and nodded her head slightly, confirming that that was what had been bothering her earlier that day. Eli and Clare had become friends again, but not as close as they used to be. It seemed they were both keeping their distance because they were both unsure of their feelings and if they were mutual. They still hung out, but the constant flirting was gone and they only hung out if it was guaranteed that Adam or Fiona would be there. He gave her a sad smile, mouthed _I'm sorry_, and when she shrugged back they both turned their attention back to Adam.

"Jake wasn't there," Adam said. "I don't know where he could be."

As if on command, Jake staggered in through the door. "I can't believe it," he said, shaking his head. "I can't _fucking_ believe this!" he screamed, scaring everyone. "Alli's dead. The guy that killed her ran off, and Imogen and K.C. are still nowhere to be found!" Jake put his hands on his head and was trying really hard to blink back his own set of tears. He was usually known for being cool, calm, and collected, but his demeanor seemed to be bursting at the seams.

"Did you see who did it?" Fiona asked him, but Jake shook his head, pulling himself together.

"No, I didn't. He was wearing a skiing mask." Jake overcame his shock quickly and switched, almost effortlessly, into preparing mode. "Okay!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands and rubbing them together. "No more of us are dying here tonight. Katie, go get the first aid kit and help Adam with his scratches. Eli, you go get flashlights. Everyone else, go around and lock all of the windows and doors." Everyone went to do what Jake had commanded them to do, and he turned to Clare. "Clare, you are the one who knows these woods the best after me, go see if you can find Imogen and K.C." She nodded and went out into the woods, way too concerned about the situation to make it more awkward between herself and Jake.

It was almost pitch black in the woods, and Clare knew that it probably was not that great of an idea that she was alone in the same woods as a crazed murderer, and she walked very slowly, wary of what she was doing. Every snap of a branch in the distance made her turn around anxiously. Every chirp of a cricket made her go insane. Every little noise that was made drove Clare up the wall. Her heart was pounding in her chest and all she could think was: _This is how I'm going to die. Alone in the woods by a psycho killer._

Suddenly, Clare heard footsteps rapidly approaching, no rational thought could process in her mind except death. Death and pain. They were getting closer, but Clare couldn't tell where they were coming from. She stopped dead in her tracks, paralyzed by fear, her head turning every which way.

"Clare!" someone gasped from behind her, and all of a sudden Clare could feel something touching her shoulder.

She screamed.

.

.

.

.

"Clare!" the figure cried again, and Clare could distinguish the femininity in the person's voice the second time she heard it.

"Imogen?" Clare questioned, and turned around to be relieved to see the quirky girl standing before her instead of a menacing figure in a ski mask.

"Yes," she sniffled. After more careful inspection, Clare could see Imogen's disheveled look and became worried.

"Where were you? Do you know where K.C. is?"

Imogen just simply shook her head, her eyes seemed traumatized. "He's gone. He's… he's never coming back."

"Oh my god. Did you…? Did… Is K.C.—"

"He's dead. I saw it. I saw… _everything_," she whispered, and Clare started crying for the girl and hugged her. Clare knew that whatever Imogen had seen would easily scar her. Imogen always put off this air that she liked to be off-the-wall and seemingly disturbed, but Clare knew that seeing someone die like that… it changes people. It definitely changed Imogen.

"How'd you get away?" Clare asked after pulling out of the hug.

"I don't even know. I think I kneed him in the balls, but I think my instincts just took over. I was so _fucking_ freaked out."

Clare let out a small giggle, and starting leading Imogen gently towards the cabin again. Imogen was walking faster than Clare had been, so they were approaching the cabin very quickly. Clare looked up and she could see Eli and Drew in the window, but in an instant they were gone.

Clare led Imogen up to the door, and as they opened the door, everyone screaming startled them. Shrieks filled the main room of the cabin, and the yelling prompted Clare and Imogen to also cry out. Jake was standing in front of them wielding an axe, looking ready to strike at Clare and Imogen.

"What is going on?" Clare shouted over everyone.

Everyone stopped yelling, but they were all still frozen in fear, refusing to move. Finally Jake moved quickly and shut the door behind the two girls, making sure it was locked.

"What were you guys _thinking_?" Clare asked, shoving Jake on the arm. "You scared the crap out of us!"

"_You_ scared the crap out of _us_," Drew accused, and everyone started talking frantically between themselves.

"We don't have time to argue!" Jake exclaimed, frustrated at everyone's uselessness. "Imogen, come with me and I'll help you, alright? Okay, everyone go to your designated areas. You know your positions. If this guy tries to get us we will _not_ let him have the chance."

"But I don't have an area!" Clare said while everyone else scrambled to comply with Jake's orders.

"Umm…" Jake said, searching for a place to fit Clare. "I think there's someone in the uh… bathroom? Yeah go check the bathroom."

Clare nodded and went over to the bathroom. She opened to the door to be surprised at seeing Adam and Bianca heatedly making out. Clare was about to apologize when Adam noticed her standing at the door and practically shoved Bianca off himself. "Hey," he said awkwardly.

"Sorry for uh… interrupting," Clare said. "Do you know where I can go? Jake told me to come here but I don't want to crash the party."

"Haha… yeah," Bianca said, trying to fix her top. "I think I saw someone go into the closet across the hall, alone. I think that's your safest bet."

"Thanks. You two kids have fun, now," Clare said, and waved bye to her friends, letting them commence making out. _Weird how they would do that, while a murderer is _this close_ to killing us all, _she thought, but she shrugged it off and entered the closet.

Clare opened the door slowly and shut it, with her back to the rest of the closet, but when she turned around a small gasp escaped her mouth.

She was in the same closet as Eli Goldsworthy.

"Clare," he said. But it was just the way he said her name that made Clare want to topple over. He sounded as if he had been waiting for her, and he was so happy to have her show up in the first place.

"Uh, hey Eli. Is this your super secret hideout?" she asked, trying and failing to be funny.

"I suppose so," he said with a smirk. "It's… bigger than I thought it would be. More like a walk-in closet. But for manly men."

Clare laughed. "I can't wait until my mom puts all of her girly shoes in this closet. Glen would have a conniption," she joked while going to sit down on the other side of the closet, her legs outstretched in front of her. Eli just stood there for a second, looking at her. Clare returned his piercing gaze, but eventually lost the battle and had to look away, a blush painting her cheeks. He didn't even have to say anything and already Clare was a flustered mess.

Eli sat down against the door, remaining silent. Clare twiddled her thumbs, anxious to say something, but she didn't want to say the wrong thing.

"Are you afraid?" she heard from the other side of the closet, making her look up at a curious Eli.

"Of what? Dying? Or the pain before dying?"

Eli shrugged. "Both."

"Probably only the pain, before dying," Clare sighed. "I don't know… What do you think?"

For some odd reason, Eli smirked. "Probably the same as you. But I guess one could argue that life in general is the pain before dying."

Clare's eyebrows rose. "Deep, Goldsworthy. Bravo."

"I try," Eli laughed, and Clare couldn't help but admire the way he still looked down sometimes when he smiled. It made him look so bashful, and Clare could feel her heart do a somersault inside her chest.

"I still can't believe Alli is dead," Clare whispered to herself. "K.C., too."

Eli got up and moved over to Clare. "I'm sorry about Alli," he apologized, while sitting next to her. Clare could feel the heat from his body radiating towards her, and she longed to reach out and hold the heat. Hold _Eli_.

"The worst thing was that I had just told her off. Her and Jake were making out and… I don't know. I freaked," Clare admitted.

Eli nodded. "You were upset to see Jake making out with another girl," he said, and it was more of an assumption than a question.

"No, not necessarily," she said, shaking her head. Eli turned to look at her, an intrigued expression on his face. "I was just upset that Alli didn't even care to ask me. I'm over Jake completely, but the fact that Alli tiptoed around my feelings is what really hurt me the most. But now she's dead."

Eli noticed Clare's distress, and against his better judgment he put his arm around Clare's shoulder. He was afraid Clare would be freaked out by it, but she leaned into him, sniffling. She was really overwhelmed with emotions. First she caught her best friend making out with her ex, then she finds out that said best friend was dead, along with a different ex of hers. "This has been a long night," she said, defeatedly.

"It sure has been," Eli agreed. "It's been a long _year_."

"It has," Clare said, nodding her head that was now resting on Eli's shoulder. She kept inconspicuously inhaling his scent, trying to memorize it. They had been apart from each other for so long, and Clare really just wanted to be near him like that again.

"Eli?" she asked, lifting her head to look him in the eyes.

"Yeah?"

"If we… die… tonight, what will be your biggest regret?"

Something came to Eli's mind right away, like an instinct, but he decided not to act on it. "You first," he said in a hoarse whisper.

Clare gulped. "Eli…" she started, and placed a tentative hand on his chest. "I just- I think you know. I hope you know."

Eli turned his head from looking at her. He wouldn't let himself get emotionally involved. Not again. It was getting hard for him to stop from getting ahead of himself.

"Look at me, Eli," Clare pleaded, bringing her hand that was on his chest to his neck and moving it so that he faced her. "I love you."

Eli's lips were on hers in an instant, moving furiously. Clare wasn't even startled, she automatically moved her lips against Eli's, like that was what she was born to do. His tongue snaked its way effortlessly into Clare's mouth, and after that it was a frenzied battle of the tongues. Clare's hands had a death grip on Eli's shoulders, and he had grabbed her face, trying to bring her closer to him in any way possible. They stayed exactly like that for a few blissful albeit frantic minutes, but eventually broke away.

"I love you, too. Honestly, I never stopped," Eli sighed, resting his forehead on Clare's. They both looked down as Clare's electronic watch quietly signaled the arrival of the next day.

"Me neither," Clare smiled, giving Eli a short kiss, her hands playing with his hair now. "I mean, I never loved Jake. What you saw in the sweat lodge, that wasn't me. That wasn't real love. I really love you."

Eli laughed. "I've missed this," he confessed. "So, _so_ much."

"So have I," Clare said, and kissed Eli again, but left her lips lingering on his. She sat back again leaning her head on his shoulder like it had been before, but this time her hands were in his, as he smoothed them and kept giving kisses to the top of her head. Clare thought about walking in earlier on Adam and Bianca, and chuckled lightly to herself.

"What?" Eli asked, referring to Clare's laugh.

"Adam and Bianca were making out in the bathroom. That's why I came here."

"Thank god for Bianca and Adam, then," Eli laughed, pecking Clare on the head again and pausing to smell her hair.

Clare didn't notice until then, but when she listened to what was happening outside the closet, it was eerily quiet. Not a footstep was heard. The only thing Clare could hear was the beating of her own heart.

Suddenly, Clare saw a shadow approach the bottom crack of the door. The knob twisted slowly, but then the door flew open with unmatched force. There was a huge dark figure in the doorway, holding a large knife.

Clare closed her eyes tight.

She heard shrieks.

She _felt_ shrieks.

Black.

.

.

.

.

Clare shot up from bed, her whole body drenched in sweat and breathing raggedly. She put her hand on the front of her head, trying to figure out what had just happened.

"Clare? You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Clare answered, looking down at the man next to her in bed. "It was just a bad dream."

He pulled her back into his bare arms and kissed the top of her head. "What was it about?"

Clare sighed. "We were in high school again. We all went to this cabin in the woods, but as it is in any slasher flick, this psycho killer came and annihilated everyone there. I remember, Alli and K.C. were killed. He was coming for us, next. But just when he was about to hack the both of us up I woke up."

He rubbed her back a pulled her up for a kiss, and she felt automatically safer. "It was only a dream," he assured her.

"I know. It was still really freaky, though. In the dream… it was during that time in high school when we weren't together, and I think that in the dream I was more scared to die without having told you how I felt, than actually dying. I don't know… it all just seemed so _real_."

He stayed silent; rubbing her back gently while the both of them just lay in thought. "You know I love you, right?" he asked after a while, looking down at her.

She smiled at him. "Of course I do. I love you, too, Eli."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi. Like many others I wish I did but oh well lalala.**

**This is dedicated to Holly (hollysaysrawrr/FlyByNoon) because this story is based off of a conversation we had at 4 in the morning. Also, she is awesome.**

**Haha I kinda freaked myself out there at the end writing this. Eep. I tried to make it as true to the promo as possible, but goofed in a couple places. Whateva whateva it's almost 5 in the morning and I just want to go to sleep.**


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